Piston rod



July 24, 192;.

H. A. SOULIS PISTON ROD Filed Jan. 31, 1917 4 sheets-sheet 1 LIIIIH.

July 24, 11923. 1,462,833

H. A. soums PIsTo'N ROD Filed Jan. .'51, 1917 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July24, 1923.

H. A. SOULIS PISTON ROD `Filed Jan. 51, 1917 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 24,1923. 1.46.2;833

H. A. SOULIS PISTON ROD v Filed Jan. 31, 1917 4 sheets-sheet 4 ure`2; Figure 4 is a taken substantially on the Federated July v24, i923..

NETE@ STATES Marget L'ATENT '@FFHCCE.

HAROLD A. SULIS, OF NEW YGRK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR. T0 WELEUBS T. SUMS, @315' tEW YORK, N'.

eieren non.

. Application led January 311, 1&1?. Serial No. 165,5?5.

.To all whom t myconcem:

Be it known that I, HAROLD A. SoULIs, a citizen'of the United States, residing at New York, inthe county of NewYork and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Piston Rods, of which the following is a specification.

The present improvements relate as indicated to` connecting rods, and more particularly to 'aV connecting rod of the type which 1s used in internal combustion engines, such` as are now in extensive use in automobiles, motor boats, and the like. rlhe object of the invention is to produce a connecting rod :for this purpose which will be simpler in construction and of greater strength per ounce of weight than those now in general use. Additional objects are to provide a connecting rod which can be made Without any machine work on the various parts and which will; be extremely rigid and better able to resist the severe strains to which such elements are subjected.

. ToV the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends said invention, then consists of the means hereinafter fully ldescribed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

This application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 868,006, filed Oct. 22, 1914.v .Y

' The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanisms embodyin the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but a few of various mechanica forms in which the principle of the invention In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved conncting rod, the same being partially broken to show the construction of the body portion; Figure 2 is a :iront elevation and part-sectional view of the same; Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken; substantially on the line 3--3 of/Figtransverse sectional view plane of the line @-4 of- F igure 1; Figure 5 1s a view similar to Figure'l of a slightly medied form of the invemtion Figure 6 isa front elevation or edge view ostile same; Figure is a transverse sectional view of the same, substantially on the plane of the line i'w' of Figure 5; Figures 8 and 9 are similar sections, illustrat ing modified sections of' cenneeting rods of my improved type; Figure l0 is aside View I snugly contact and may be used.

of another form of connecting rod forked at its end; Figurell is a bottom plan view of the same, an edge view of this form of rod; Figure 13 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 13-13 of Figure 10 with the bearing bronze or bushing indicated in dotted lines; Fi ure 1li is a sectional view of one of the orks taken substantially on the plane of line 14e-1li .of Figure 12; Figures 15 and 16 are cross sectional views of the rod taken substantially on the planes of lines 15-15 and 16-16 of Figure 12; Figure 17 is a detached detail View of one of the end sleeve parts; Figures 18, 19 and 20 are side, bottom plan and edge views of another forked type of construction; Figures 21 and 22 are cross sectional views taken substantially on the planes of lines 21-21 and 22-22 of Figure 20.

Myy improved connecting rod will be seen from Figure 1 to consist essentially of three parts. rlhere are .two end portions, 1 and.

2, adapted to rotatably receive a piston pin and a crank shaft respectively. in such end 'portions or collars, may be placed the usual bushings or bearing sleeves 3. Such end portions 1 and 2 are formed externally cylindrical, 'andconnecting the same is a hollow rod or tube 4f having its ends flared or provided with terminal flanges 5 adapted to partially encircle the cylindrical portions of the end portions l1 and 2. The ends of the hollow rod are rigidly attached to the end portions or sleeves of the connecting rod proper, and this attachment is preferably made by welding or dip brazing, or some other means of obtaining a permanent union of the parts. My connecting rod as'fthus formed is a single integral member which possessesgreat strength and rigidity without excessive weight. The tubular rod is very light but is firmly attached to, and made a part oi? the two end portions.l

1n the first form of the invention. illustrated, the tubular rod is' made up et two longitudinal half sections 6 and 7, danged,

as indicated "at 8, at the meeting edges there "f partly broken away; Figure 12 is v lll@ plane of movement of the rod, this flattening of the rod strengthening it in the plane of stress and the hollow oval section, making it strongest for the weight of the section. Greater strengthening efl'ect is obtained also by disposing the reinforcing ribs in the plane of movement of the rod, as indicated in Figures 3 and 4.

The rod may be further reinforced, particularly at the ends where it is united to the end members, by providing reinforcing members 9, in the nature of sleeves, surrounding the joined parts of the rod and secured thereto and in this case also to the end members, preferably by welding or dip brazing.

In Figure 5 another form of the tube is shown, and in this tube the two longitudinal sections or members are made from a single strip of relatively thin metal, which is first ressed into sectionally circular form and iias its edges bent inward to form flanges 10, such flanges being pressed together and suitably joined, preferably by welding or dip brazing. The tube is thus seen to be a onepiece, rigid member having a stiffening rib formed by the two contacting and .welded flanges 10. Such a rod, like theone firstdescribed, has great strength for it'sweight, and is particularly well adapted to withstand the severe end thrusts and the other strains to which it is subjected in an engine cylinder by reason of the explosive action of the gas.

The precise shape of the tube is not a matter of prime importance and it may be of various' forms. It is, however, highly desirable that longitudinally extending stiffening ribs of some sort be provided in order to withstand the strains set up in the rod.

In Figures 8 and 9 I illustrate other sectional shapes in which my improved rod may be made. Thus in Figure 8 the rib is formed on the outside by bending the edges outwardly instead of inwardly as in Figure 7. In Figure 9 a further modification is shown in which in addition to the reinforcing rib formed by the joinder of the flanges 10, I provide for the further strengthening of the rod by the formation ,of the oppositely located longitudinally rib 10a. It will be understood however that I am not limited to the precise forms here shown.

The structures illustrated in Figures 10 to 22 are similar in general respects to those discussed except that the lower end member is of forked or bifurcated construction, embodying arches or yokes l11 of U-shape in cross section (Figure 14),.` In Figure 12, these yoke members are shown formed with out-turned flanges 12A held between the flanges 10 of the tube sections 6, 7, which flanges 10 furthermore are formed with steps l or seats l3for the out-turned flanges 12 of the end pieces. The lower bearing sleeve in this case is made up of segments 14, formin a bearing for the bronze journal (indicate in section at 15 in Figure 13) and'held to gether by throughl bolts 16 engaged in sleeves 17, which sleeves may be suitabl brazed in place and may be provided wit end washers 18 forming seats for the bolts. The lower bearing segment 14, or cap, may be reinforced by a segment piece 19.

The upper or wrist pin end is made up of sleeve members 20 having abutting flanges 21'fitted inl between the flanges 10 of the rod sectionsfjas just above described, and supporting a bearing sleeve 22, which closes the opening that otherwise would be left in the lower shaped neck portion 23 of the sleeve imembers.

The form shown in Figures 18-22 differs from that just described in structural details only, the flanges 12 of the yoke pieces being here omitted, the parts 1'1 and 19 being shown provided with projections or lugs 24 forming bolt seats, the rod partv 4 being formed from a single folded piece (like- Figures 5-9,)` and the upper end member consisting of a'single folded member 25, embracing the bearing sleeve 26.

In my imporoved construction of connecting rod it is possible to form the end portions or bearing sleeves independently of the` rod proper, and a rod of any desired strength may be attached to any suitable size of ends. The rod is composed ofthe three units as indicated. In this construction I have secured the maximum of strength for the amount ofI material which is used, and a connecting rod of greater strength than the ones nowmade can be thus formed out of an equal weight of material. It will be noticed that no machining is required on any part of the connecting rod, and by reason of the method of forming the connecting tubeand alsol the end portions, the metal can be' disposed where it is most needed more accurately than when the connecting rod is a drop-forging, as the latter process does not lend itself to distributing metal accurately along the length of the rod.

The need for a relativelyF light but very strong connecting rod for internal combustion engines is at present urgent since the trend of development is toward light weight high speed motors in which it is essential that the reciprocating parts be as light as possible in order to secure the desired speed. In former types of connecting rods it has ben difficult to cut down the weight safely since the metal could not be distributed along the rod accurately owing to the methods of manufacture and ak high factor of safety hadto be employed to allow for possible inaccuracies in the cross-section. Tubular connecting rods made up from a single piece have not solved the problem as they were neither as simple to make nor as y satisfactory in service incassa as my improved type which combines lightness, strength and the utmost simplicity inthe manufacturing.

l claim:

1'. ln a connectingrod, the combination of two end members, and a tubular intermediatemember' provided with laterally extending flanges at either end, each such ange constitutlng a socket and being integrally joined to one of said end members received therein, said intermediate member having its greatest transverse dimension lyin in the plane of movement of said rod an being provided with an integral reinforcing rib. A

2. ln a connecting rod, the combination of two end members, and a tubular intermediate member provided with socket portions .and integrally united, said intermediate member having its greatest transverse dimension lying in the plane of movement of said rod and being provided with an integral reinforcing rib disposed longitudinally along said member.

3. A connecting rod having a hollow shank portion formed from pressed metal and provided with reinforcing ribs extend'- ing longitudinally thereof, one of said ribs being formed by permanently united integral flanges. x

4. ln a connecting rod, the combination of two end members and a tubular intermediate member provided with socket portions at its opposite ends integrally united to said end members, said intermediate tubular member including longitudinal members integrally united along their meeting edges and a reinforcing member surrounding and secured to said intermediate member.

5. ln a.' connecting rod, the combination of two end members and ai tubular intermediate member provided with socket portions at its opposite ends integrally united to said end members, said intermediate tubular member embodying longitudinal members integrally united along their meeting edges, and a reinforcing member surrounding the end portion of said tubular member and secured thereto and to the end member thereat.

6. ln a connecting rod, the combination oie two end members and a tubular intermediate member provided with socket portions at its opposite ends integrally united to said end members. said intermediate member embodying longitudinal members integrally united along their meeting edges, and reinforcing sleeves surrounding the end portions of said tubular member, and secured to said tubular member, yand to the aforesaid end members.

7. ln connecting rods, a wrist pin bearing support, a crankshaft bearing support, and a pressed steel connecting member having a longitudinally extending reinforcing rib formed by permanently united integral danges, said connecting member .interconnecting .the bearing supports and being permanentlynnited'thereto, and being formed ot metal hav-ing e tensile strength independ-1 ent oi that' of the bearing supports.

' 8. A connecting rod having end portions adapted to receive wrist-pin and crank-shaft bearings, respectively, and a 'hollow sheet metal shank portion connecting said end portions, said rod having longitudinally eX- tending reinforcing ribs, one of said ribs being formed by permanently united integrel anges. v

9. A connecting rod formed of pressed metal having reinforcing ribs extending longitudinally thereof, one of said ribs being formed by permanently united integral hangen. f

10, A connecting rod having a wrist-pin bearing support, a crank-shaft bearing snpport, an intermediate member connecting said supports, means surrounding one end of said member and encircling said wristpin bearing support and means surrounding the other end oie said member and partially encircling said crank-shaft bearing support, said member having oppositely located rein- `forcing ribs extending longitudinally thereof, one of said ribs being formed by permanently united integral anges.

ll. A connecting rod formed of sheet metal having wrist-pin and crank-shaft bearing connections and a shank, said rod having oppositely located reinforcing ribs extending longitudinally thereof.

12. A connecting rod having end portions adapted to receive wrist pin and crank shalt bearings respectively, and a hollow sheet metal shank portion provided with integra-l flanges permanently united along their abutting surfaces and forming a reinforcing rib.

13. A connecting rod composed of sections formed from sheet metal, said sections having flanged portions adapted to register whereby they may be permanently united to form 'an integral structure, certain of said l langes extending longitudinally of seid rod and reinforcing the same in the direction of the greatest stresses imposed thereon.

14. A connecting rod having wrist pin and crank shaft bearing supports and a hollovtr intermediate sheet metal member having integrally formed` ilanges permanently joined to provide a longitudinal reinforcing rib.

15. A connecting rod having end portions adapted to receive wrist pin and crank shaft bearings respectively, and a hollow sheet metal shank portion provided with integral longitudinal idanges permanently united to'- gether to provide a reinforcing rib.

16. A. connecting rod having a plurality of tianged parts permanently united together to form an integral structure, certain of said flanged parte providing longitudinal reinforcement.

i7. A connecting rod having. a hollow les shank portion formed `from pressed sheet metal provided with permanently united flanges extending longitudinally thereof.

A 18. A connectlng rod having Wrist pin and crank shaft bearing supports, and an intermediate shank portion, all formed of sheet metal, the said'parts being united by means of permanently joined integral flanges to form an integral structure.

HAROLD A. SIOULIS. 

